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It Takes Two to Toddle
The Benefits of Father-Toddler Alone Time By Teri Brown
Armin Brott, author of Fathering Your Toddler (Abbeville Press, 2005), believes there are many things moms can do to encourage their husbands to spend more time with Junior. One of those things is to not micromanage their husbands' alone time with their children.
"Dads need to make their own mistakes if they're ever going to feel comfortable in a parenting role," says Brott. "This means that if Mom goes out for the evening and Dad stays home with the toddler, that Mom refrain from leaving a detailed list of everything that has to happen. While that may seem to be saving the dad a lot of trouble, it really undermines his ability to learn for himself what needs to be done."
Brott says moms need to be particularly sensitive if their toddler is in the "Mommy do it" phase. It's important for Mom to talk about Dad a lot and to build Dad up so that by the time he gets home, the child will be very excited to see him. Examples would be, "When Daddy comes home, he'll tell you a great story about a train" or "I know your teddy bear's arm is broken, but you know who can fix it? Daddy!"
"Moms should also go out of their way to praise dads any time they get the chance," says Brott. "Again, because dads often feel unsure of their own abilities, the more praise he gets the better he'll feel about himself as a parent and the more time he'll spend with the child."
Your toddler will only be this age for a moment. Father time is important time and will help build a solid relationship that both of you will enjoy for years to come.
